Maldives

MALE, Jun 28 (NNN-PSM) – The Maldives received over 550,000 tourists between Jan and Jun this year, local media, citing data from the Ministry of Tourism reported, today.

The tourism ministry data showed that, 555,494 tourists visited the country by mid-year, with 24.3 percent of them coming from Russia and 18 percent from India.

Data showed that the number of arrivals in the country declined in May and June, due to a surge of COVID-19 cases, requiring strengthened restrictions on travel.

MALE, Maldives (AP) — Maldives police have arrested the fourth and final suspect who was being sought for the bombing that severely wounded the country’s former president earlier this month.

Authorities have blamed Islamic extremists for the assassination attempt on Mohamed Nasheed, who is currently the Parliament speaker and has been an outspoken critic of religious extremism in the predominantly Sunni Muslim nation.

Police said on Twitter the 23-year-old man who had been at large since the May 6 bombing was arrested Wednesday night.

MALE, Maldives (AP) — Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, who was critically wounded in an explosion, was released from the hospital on Thursday and flown to Germany for further treatment, his family and the hospital said.

Nasheed, 53, was wounded in the blast last week that authorities blamed on Muslim extremists. Two of his bodyguards and two apparent bystanders, including a British citizen, were also wounded by what police say was a homemade explosive device containing ball bearings attached to a motorbike parked near the ex-president’s car.

MALE, Maldives (AP) — The Maldives president said Friday an explosion that wounded former leader Mohamed Nasheed was an attack on the country’s democracy and economy, and announced that Australian police would assist the investigation.

Nasheed, 53, was wounded in the blast Thursday night outside his home and was being treated in a hospital in the capital, Male, police said. Home Minister Imran Abdulla told a local television that his injuries were not life-threatening.

MALE, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of vaccines against COVID-19 and anti-epidemic materials donated by China to the Maldives arrived Wednesday night and were handed over on Thursday.

Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Zhang Lizhong officially handed over the Sinopharm vaccines and some syringes to Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem in an official ceremony held Thursday.

MALE, Feb 24 (NNN-PSM) – Maldivian President, Ibrahim Solih, is seeking the approval of Parliament, to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), local media quoted the President’s Office as reporting today.

“The decision to join the organisation will present the Maldives with partnership and networking opportunities, as well as, assistance, to enhance efforts in the field of conservation of nature,” said a statement, issued by the President’s Office.

The decision follows a proposal by Environment Minister, Hussain Rasheed Hassan, yesterday.

MALE, Feb 12 (NNN-PSM) – The Maldives and Eritrea have formally established diplomatic ties, local media, citing a joint communique, reported today.

A joint communique, signed by Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations, Thilmeeza Hussain, and Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the United Nations, Sophia Tesfamariam Yohannes, formalised the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The Maldives now has diplomatic relations with 176 countries.

MALE, Jan 26 (NNN-IPS) – Nearly 20,000 Maldivians have signed up to be vaccinated against COVID-19, since registrations were opened on Jan 18, local media reported here today.

Health Emergency Operation Centre’s (HEOC) Spokesperson, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq, was quoted in state-owned PSM News as saying that, 19,666 people had registered to be vaccinated so far. Registrations are currently only open for priority groups, such as health and social care workers.

MALE (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that Washington will open an embassy in the Maldives for the first time, during a five-day Asia trip attempting to counterbalance the rise of China in the region.

“Getting this facility open won’t happen overnight but it’s worth it,” Pompeo told a news conference on an island resort near the archipelago’s capital Male.

“It’s the right thing to do. Your role here in the Indo-Pacific and in the international community is increasingly important.”

United Nations, Sep 30 (PTI) The Maldives has thanked India for the financial assistance of USD 250 million -- "the single largest financial assistance from a donor" -- to support the island nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.